When we're evaluating the behavior, we want to know what frequency of that behavior is occurring, what situation or context that behavior is occurring in, the time of day that it may occur, because your schedule and all may influence those things, and many other factors. So it's really important for us when we see the problem behavior to really investigate things such as where they're expressing this behavior, how often they're expressing the behavior, what the situation that is occurring during that time, and also if you have tried to change the behavior, what kind of responses have you seen? Those will all be very helpful in evaluating your cat's behavior.

A sudden change, any change, whether behavior or some physical attribute, are the things that are really important to us as doctors in knowing when there's a problem and how we should approach it. So the first moment you notice a change in their behavior, that would be the time really to start asking the question and maybe seek out your veterinarian to help you with that.

Generally, we recommend having puppies spayed or neutered at around six months of age. However, recent research suggests that it might be better for certain breeds, especially male dogs, to delay neutering until they're about a year to a year and a half old. This delay could potentially prevent certain cancers in the future and contribute to healthier bone growth. Regardless, the standard recommendation is to have them spayed or neutered at around six months.

We strongly recommend having your puppy vaccinated every three to four weeks when they're still young. These vaccinations include distemper, parvo, hepatitis combination, and kennel cough. When the puppy is old enough, they'll receive a rabies vaccine. Typically, we continue these vaccines until the puppy is about 18 to 20 weeks old, at which point they'll get the rabies vaccine and then they're covered for a year.

When you first bring your puppy in, we begin by asking for a full history, such as where you got the puppy and how long you've had it. We also like to know if the puppy is doing well at home. Then we will perform a complete exam from head to toe, which includes taking the puppy's temperature and checking for any health abnormalities. We conduct an intestinal parasite check by taking a small stool sample and examining it under a microscope for worm eggs and fleas. If the puppy is old enough, usually around eight weeks, we administer the first vaccine. We also provide you with a 'puppy pack' to take home, which includes some puppy food, training information, pet health insurance details, and some samples for heartworm, flea, and tick prevention.

Laser therapy is excellent for arthritis. If your dog is slow to get up or their back legs shake when they're standing, or if they're having difficulty with bowel movements, these could be indications. Other signs include not being able to get up on the bed, inability to extend their legs fully, or their feet appearing curled. If your dog used to have muscular thighs and now there's visible atrophy or indentation, that's a sign that something's wrong, perhaps with the hips and knees. Cold laser therapy is definitely beneficial if maintained. It has helped many of our patients, especially older pets. We perform laser therapy on both dogs and cats, many of whom come in weekly. This is not a one-time treatment but needs to be maintained. The benefits can be life-changing for animals. It's used for conditions such as osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, soft tissue injuries, back pain, neck pain, and any type of pain your pet may be experiencing. However, it should not be used on the eyes as it can cause retinal damage. That's why we wear goggles and our dogs wear doggles to protect their eyes.

Laser therapy uses light waves that penetrate into the deeper layers of the tissue. It stimulates blood flow, reduces inflammatory mediators, and therefore reduces pain. Increasing blood flow helps get things going, which reduces inflammation. Laser therapy can be used for treating arthritis, skin infections, and ear infections. It's a versatile tool, and we use it on pretty much everything here. I particularly find it beneficial post-op surgeries as it gives the tissue a kickstart to heal a little faster. It's also useful in cases where complications arise, such as an infection developing at the site of an incision. In such instances, we use cold laser to stimulate the healing and help the skin heal back in.

Whether issues are addressed during the initial oral exam depends on what we find. If there are serious problems such as a fractured tooth causing a tooth root abscess, we would start treatments like anti-inflammatories and antibiotics immediately, and schedule a dental procedure. However, for most other findings, treatments would be scheduled for a later date and a dental surgery appointment would be set.

Dental radiographs are crucial and should be a standard of care. They allow us to examine the unseen parts of a tooth, particularly the root and the tissue underneath the gum line. The radiographs help us assess the health of the root, pulp cavity, and periodontal ligament, which holds the tooth in place. With these radiographs, we can detect tooth root abscesses, infections, and bone damage. They also help us make decisions about whether a tooth needs to be removed or if it can be saved through medical treatments.

During a dog dental exam, a veterinarian will check for various signs of oral health. First, we check the color and hydration of the gums. Pink, hydrated gums are a good sign, while dark red, purple, sticky or dry gums may indicate problems such as dehydration or gingivitis. We look for obvious signs of disease, like fractured or missing teeth or oral masses. We also look for tartar or calcified tartar on the teeth. That's what we have to scale and crack off the tooth, and that's a big reason why we require anesthesia with our dentals. It's not a comfortable procedure. When they're asleep, they don't feel it, which is great. The degree of tartar build-up helps us grade the dental health from one to four, where one is just minor build-up and four indicates severe disease necessitating tooth extraction.